does anyone know if aftermarket motorcycle helmet speakers are illegal?
and while we're on it, is it illegal to have your ipod earbuds in your ears while driving? either on a bike or car? i've seen so many people driving brand new cars and they have their earbuds in lol
is this legal or illegal? i can't find any straight up answer anywhere :nut:

natejj

08-10-2009, 02:08 PM

I'm in the process of getting my moterbike license, and don't know how to ride yet..... but isn't riding one dangerous enough, is there seriously people who are stupid enough to listen to their ipod while riding??

Mibz

08-10-2009, 02:11 PM

I can't find any specific offense for headphones or music being too loud but I'm sure they can nab you under a catch-all offense if they find that impaired hearing was the cause of a problem (Not getting out of the way of an emergency vehicle).

As for whether aftermarket helmet speakers are legal, well I imagine they'd advertise DOT approval if they were, but I could be wrong.

EDIT: I assume the post below mine is meant for the guy above me.

Dumbass17

08-10-2009, 02:11 PM

^^ haven't you seen harley riders with earbuds/earplugs in?
riding any bike at 120km/hr gets pretty noisy with the wind man.

i wouldn't use them around town lol, that's dumb. but for long trips they'd be a headache safer.

tons of riders where them

aget

08-10-2009, 02:30 PM

Looks like the provincial government sets the law on distractions while driving. Seems that headphones are only illegal in Manitoba. I guess you are safe in Alberta :dunno:

Most provinces and territories limit the use of distracting devices in cars, but only Newfoundland and Labrador has banned the use of handheld cellphones while driving. The Manitoba government prohibits listening to headphones while driving but not the type used for cellphones.
Source (http://www.cbc.ca/marketplace/webextras/net_security/distraction_regulations.html?net_security#alta)

GQBalla

08-10-2009, 02:36 PM

Originally posted by Dumbass17
^^ haven't you seen harley riders with earbuds/earplugs in?
riding any bike at 120km/hr gets pretty noisy with the wind man.

i wouldn't use them around town lol, that's dumb. but for long trips they'd be a headache safer.

tons of riders where them

i never needed some sort of ear plugs, i guess my helmet had some pretty good sound deadening

Dumbass17

08-10-2009, 02:38 PM

^^^hmmm weird

laws are goofy

yes i said goofy

Pollywog

08-10-2009, 02:41 PM

I want to say that it is moronic for a motorcyclist to wear earbuds or to listen to music in general while riding, but its hard to when you see the majority of people in cages driving almost blind with the cheeseburgers, Lil Wayne and cellphones distracting them on a daily.

I do advocate wearing hearing protection such as ear plugs for louder bikes and wind noise however.

Im going to start wearing ear plugs... the wind noise under my helmet is brutal.... i get wicked headaches when i do the okotoks/black diamond/longview tour. I'd consider an ipod on the highway but not in the city.

Hence why I said " it is moronic for a motorcyclist to wear earbuds or to listen to music in general while riding".

Grogador

08-10-2009, 03:54 PM

Why? Nobody is gonna sneak up behind you at 280kph. On that note, speakers are better used for radar detectors...

AutodreamFrank

08-10-2009, 04:13 PM

my shoei rf-1000 is wicked for noise deadening, but I wouldn't mind some background music while riding. I am always aware of other drivers around me if they are texting or on there phones, I keep distance. As long as it's not too loud, I think it's okay.

SetoJai

08-10-2009, 08:37 PM

No music in the city only on the highway. It gets boring after awhile without music and also my HJC helmet has HORRIBLE sound deadning capabilities... need a new one soon.

95EagleAWD

08-10-2009, 11:41 PM

You can't hear much on a bike anyways besides your own exhaust... I listen to music. Not blaring loud, but I have my iPod going.

Cos

08-10-2009, 11:43 PM

you on CGP?

anyways, I will say in this thread what I said in the other thread. I dont think the headphones themselves are illegal, just impeding your hearing (same as having your car stereo too loud) is illegal. I dont wear when i am running around town or if I am with a buddy for a boot. However if the wife and I are running out to camore on 1A or the Bragg->BD run then I will. I find it helps me from having my mind wander on straight pieces of road.

If my mind wanders I am paying LESS attention. BTW I keep it at seriously 10 - 15% volume.

95EagleAWD

08-11-2009, 12:08 AM

Yeah, mine are set quite low. I bought black earphones so the white iPod cord doesn't stand out against my jacket. I run the cord under my leathers too, so all you can see is the cord by my ears a little. Try and keep it under the radar, haha.

Masked Bandit

08-11-2009, 09:02 AM

I doubt that it's actually illegal. I wear mine on the highway. I don't think there's any difference between the earbuds or earplugs at highway speeds / noise volume.

donnie533

08-11-2009, 12:34 PM

I have never tried the earbuds, but do have speakers installed in my helmet. This is part of a rider-to-rider communicator. The iPod can be connected to the device with a small cable. A cellphone or GPS can be bluetoothed to it also --- have not done this as taking on the phone while riding would be insane.
I have used iPod and had no problem hearing vehicles around me - since the speakers are not actually in your ears.
IMHO - the communicator is priceless for riding with wife (on her bike or on back of mine).

Budlac

08-11-2009, 01:08 PM

It is not illegal to listen to music while you ride, nor is it illegal to wear ear plugs. I will wear ear plugs while riding almost every time I saddle up. Why? Because I love my hearing. You may not notice a terrible amount of wind noise, but it slowly damages your hearing none-the-less. When I had an Ipod I would listen to music on a regular basis. It is no different than a cager listening to the radio. Just keep the volume at a reasonable level and you're fine. It is usually cagers and noobs who argue the dangers of ear buds.

japan_us

08-11-2009, 01:12 PM

I use noise isolating ear buds. In the city, I don't listen to music, but they act like quasi-earplugs and when I hit the highway, I just have to hit play and voila - music. :)

Cos

08-11-2009, 07:23 PM

Originally posted by donnie533

IMHO - the communicator is priceless for riding with wife (on her bike or on back of mine).

yeah but then I would have to talk to her. I like the wind/silence ;)

codetrap

08-12-2009, 12:59 PM

Originally posted by Pollywog

Hence why I said &quot; it is moronic for a motorcyclist to wear earbuds or to listen to music in general while riding&quot;.

And it's any worse than a car how? Do you have any studies to back this position up? I don't see how music on the motorcycle is any worse than music in the car.

I just did a trip to whitecourt this last weekend, and I used my skullcandy in ear headphones listening to my ipod there and back. 906km round trip averaging between 120 and 140kph. Personally, I like my hearing, so it's either them or just straight earplugs to dampen the wind noise. Since quiet is pretty bording for 8 hours.. music it was.

I have a RF-1000 helmet too, and it's rated pretty good for wind noise, but you know what? I still couldn't hear a car coming up behind me at all on the highway over just the wind noise.. So, I made damn sure I'm looking around all the time.

Awareness of the levels of noise to which a motorcyclist is exposed is an important component to the process of riding. Once that awareness level has been reached, the responsibility is on the motorcyclist to take an active role in utilizing appropriate hearing protection. Often, the motorcyclist has the knowledge basis but does not execute a plan for hearing protection usage for many reasons. The reasons differ but the fundamental thought process of the motorcyclist is that the use of hearing protection will alter the ride. Because of this, it is important to address these myths to expose their fallacious nature; in this way, you can be assured that the use of hearing protection will not be a detriment at all to your riding.

1. “My motorcycle is not as loud as you think”

Think again – it most certainly is. As we have already learned, depending upon the motorcycle you drive and how you modify it, the motorcycle is actually louder than you think.

2. “All the noise from the motorcycle goes behind me and does not hit my ears”

The noise from your bike and the baffle noise bounce back and does end up becoming a contributing factor to the noise to which you are exposed while riding. However, as we have previously discussed, the main culprit of noise while riding is the wind noise. Without protection against this wind noise, your hearing will invariably be impacted.

3. “The helmet protects my hearing”
Many riders believe that the helmet provides an adequate amount of hearing protection. Not only is the helmet an ineffective method of hearing protection, it can also be a significant cause of increased noise exposure.

4. “The earplugs will be uncomfortable under my helmet”
This is absolutely untrue. I will explain in detail the most comfortable plugs and why they are comfortable, even underneath the helmet.

5. “I need to hear other motorists – that’s how motorcycle riders can get killed, if they cannot hear other motorists on the road”

This is the most common misconception, and the one that should be addressed to the greatest extent. Oftentimes, a motorcyclist will indicate to me that he or she knows wearing hearing protection is important, but the fear of not being able to hear what is necessary impedes them from doing so. One of the main concerns is that the rider will be unable to hear anything else that is occurring on the road. Obviously, it is incredibly important to hear the other motorists, and to make certain that the surrounding motorists have an awareness of you as the riding motorcyclist. However, this capacity does not get lost when wearing hearing protection. Environmental sounds become attenuated (softer) but are still audible. SO, the rider will still be able to hear environmental sounds – just at softer and less dangerous levels.

Hearing protection products are available in a number of different varieties and styles, each of which possess different assets and liabilities to the overall fitting. A standard measure, called the Noise Reduction Rating (NRR) is utilized to ascertain level of function of the hearing protection product with respect to the capacity to block the sound. It is important to note that the NRR does not have a linear relationship with the attenuation of sound. Rather, it is a formula that is utilized to determine what the overall noise reduction will be based upon the conversion from one scale of sound measurement (a “C” rated scale mandated by OSHA for industrial workplaces) to another scale of measurement better suited for determining the impact on human hearing (an “A” weighted scale). The rule of thumb is that the higher the NRR, the more protective the plug will be for your hearing.

Other variables involved in ascertaining how beneficial the hearing protection plug will be includes the type of plug utilized, the material that comprises the plug (including its porosity), and the overall fit of the plug. Many people choose to wear the one-size-fits-all over the counter disposable foam plugs. If they are not placed securely in the ear, and a true seal is not obtained, the wearer may not be getting the full benefit of using the hearing protection plug. Which plugs are best suited for the motorcycle rider in terms of comfort, ease of function and reliability? Await the detailed explanation, so that you can choose the right hearing protection when you ride your motorcycle!

Dr. Heche is a Doctor of Audiology and Clinical Voice and Swallowing

Pathologist. She is dually certified by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association and licensed in NYS in Audiology and Speech Pathology. In addition, she is a Fellow of the American Academy of Audiology and is Board Certified in Audiology. Dr. Heche is also a NYS licensed Hearing Aid Dispenser.

Dr. Heche runs the NYC-based private practice New York Speech & Hearing and can be reached at

[email protected] or by telephone at (212) 260-1414.
Her website is: www.newyorkspeechandhearing.com

Hi everyone ..I to confused about this .I don know which type of speakers are good.can someone help me
!

codetrap

08-20-2009, 07:53 AM

Originally posted by javlin
Hi everyone ..I to confused about this .I don know which type of speakers are good.can someone help me
!

I'm using the inexpensive skull candy in ear ones from bestbuy that are like $15, and they work pretty good. They have different size rubbers for different ears, and they block a lot of the low frequency banging from the wind. Also, I can still hear the environment around me if I keep the music low.

shizzay

09-30-2009, 11:59 AM

my bike is louder than anything else around me on the road anyways. i can't hear any other cars over my exhaust... so why not listen to some music?!?! when you're riding you always need to be checking your mirrors and watching for the guy that's going to take you out... if you're good at that you shouldn't need to listen for them too?!?!

turbotrip

10-01-2009, 08:17 PM

Originally posted by ninjasound
my shoei rf-1000 is wicked for noise deadening

i find the rf-1000 to be pretty damn loud :dunno:

sandy.tang35

12-28-2009, 11:14 AM

No idea about the law but u can check with the local law regarding the same.

Cos

12-29-2009, 10:39 AM

Originally posted by sandy.tang35
No idea about the law but u can check with the local law regarding the same.

wtf :facepalm:

89s1

01-01-2010, 07:14 PM

Originally posted by Budlac
It is not illegal to listen to music while you ride, nor is it illegal to wear ear plugs. I will wear ear plugs while riding almost every time I saddle up. Why? Because I love my hearing. You may not notice a terrible amount of wind noise, but it slowly damages your hearing none-the-less. When I had an Ipod I would listen to music on a regular basis. It is no different than a cager listening to the radio. Just keep the volume at a reasonable level and you're fine. It is usually cagers and noobs who argue the dangers of ear buds.

A pair of headphones compared to ambient sound inside a vehicle are the same to you?

forbiddenera

01-10-2010, 05:38 PM

Simple - don't drive distracted.

Hearing has nothing to do with driving or deaf people wouldn't be able to get a license! Though, they are given a fucking HARD TIME sometimes by idiot driving instructors, for example, the last time my great-grandfather (in his 80s, deaf his whole life, been driving since he was a teenager, and still a very capable person) tried to renew his license he had to go to a second place as the first driving instructor failed him solely on the fact he couldn't hear. :banghead: